Kangwon National University (KNU) houses KNU Startup Cube in Chuncheon, Gangwon-do Province, consisting of coworking spaces, creativity workshops, and lecture and conference rooms. About 70 prospective startups including student startup clubs, think tanks and companies are based here.

By Charles Audouin
Photos = Kangwon National University's Industry Cooperation Foundation

Kangwon National University's (KNU) KNU Startup Cube is a space with about 50 colorful containers at the school's campus in Chuncheon, Gangwon-do Province.

Opened in 2018, this venue houses aspiring biotech startups and early-stage companies and is the main foothold of the research and development (R&D) zone Gangwon Chuncheon Innopolis, a government-designated region with a concentration of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and think tanks.

This zone focuses on biopharmaceuticals such as in vitro diagnostic materials, new drugs based on antibodies and new bioactive materials. This environment allows the province to speed up its augmentation of biotech competitiveness.

The 14 specialized smaller zones called Innotowns nationwide all pursue regional specialization strategies in their respective fields to stimulate their economies and raise technological innovation.

The four regions designated as innopolises including that at KNU receive corporate support such as technology, infrastructure, tax incentives and regulatory exemptions. They connect companies that need technology with the proper research bodies and provide tailored startup support such as training and mentoring to prospective entrepreneurs and startups.

The provincial government, Chuncheon City Hall, universities and companies run exchange programs to promote cooperation. They support companies throughout the whole process including R&D, prototype production and consulting to boost the startup success rate and commercial application of technology.

Launched in July 2022, Chuncheon Innopolis as of June this year had 63 startups and 29 institute affiliates and identified 348 promising technologies. Its practical results include securing KRW 7.54 billion in linked investments and 175 cases of technology transfers and investments.

"By March 2027, Chuncheon is aiming for KRW 2 trillion in sales by bio companies, 200 startup launches and relocation by 200 companies to the innopolis," said Yim Seong Il, leader of the Corporate Support Team at KNU's Industry Cooperation Foundation. "We will make Gangwon-do a region that leads future industry innovation."

This is an aerial view of Kangwon National University's Campus Innovation Park slated for completion by May 2026. The school is the nation's first national or public university picked for the Campus Innovation Park Creation Project, which seeks to turn idle campuses into urban cutting-edge industrial complexes.